New Games |
- Aquaria is heading to the iPad
- A bunch of Dragon Quest X info has rolled in
- The House of the Dead on PS3 may make your eyes hate you
- Shank returns in Shank 2, shanking very likely
- CD Projekt RED reveals what's in store for Witcher 2 v2.0
- Bethesda details Skyrim's award-winning voice cast
- TGS: The Vita got about 20% cooler
- City of Heroes: Freedom is now live for everyone
- Fantastic Arcade: Serious Sam 3 may be the best one yet
- Europe getting Batman: Arkham City Xbox 360 bundle
- Live show: Ico & Shadow Collection on Mash Tactics
- Review: Another World - 20th Anniversary (iOS)
- SI swimsuit models in Need for Speed The Run [trailer]
- Talking to Women about Videogames: Sexy vs. sexist?
- Bethesda v. Mojang 'Scrolls' dispute going to courtroom
- My corgi has been Simified! The Sims 3 Pets is coming
- Sparks and flashes: New screens from Persona 4 fighter
- Presentation remote maker sues Nintendo over Wii remote
- I gotta believe! PaRappa could return on the Vita
| Aquaria is heading to the iPad Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:30 PM PDT Remember Aquaria? Bit Blot isn't done yet, and as you can see from the new video the game is making its way to the iPad and iPad 2 this fall. Some new features and improvements over the original have been slipped in there along with some new gameplay. This is probably rather petty of me but after watching this video I want to go up to someone with an iPad and stomp on their foot. I don't have an iPad and I want one, so I can play this because it looks like so much fun. The touch controls seem solid and I want to try it. If you have an iPad and don't plan on buying this, shame on you. |
| A bunch of Dragon Quest X info has rolled in Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT Dragon Quest, you guys! Dragon Quest! If the news that the Wii / Wii U title will be largely dependent on online has left you somewhat nervous about the brand's future, hopefully this fresh info from Japan's Jump magazine will rekindle your excitement. Curtailing fears that the game's MMO-ish nature will cause the story to suffer is the promise that the story will be extremely beefy and will have a definite ending with a final boss. Fans of DQVIII on PS2 should likewise be pleased to know that the game world in X will be many times larger. True to the game's subtitle -- Awakening of the Five Tribes -- you play as one of five races, but curiously, you start off as a human and somehow transform into one of the other races. On top of all that, you can visit a blacksmith for item forging, send letters (and possibly items) to other players at the post office, and even build your own house! Check out more deets at the links below, then share if you think you'll be willing to give the game a chance in light of this knowledge. Make The Home Of Your Dreams In Dragon Quest X [Siliconera] |
| The House of the Dead on PS3 may make your eyes hate you Posted: 27 Sep 2011 02:30 PM PDT The nostalgia-fest that is The House of the Dead: Overkill - Extended Cut for PS3 is continues with Sega's announcement that the game will support not only Sterescopic 3D on your fancy new display, but also the anaglyphic 3D of which we all have such fond memories. Indeed, those were the days: Braving headaches and nausea for the thrill of the third-dimension. Was it worth it? In retrospect, no. The House of the Dead is hoping to recapture the magic of that experience and, really, it's just fitting. If any game should have anaglyphic 3D supported, it's The House of the Dead. That's it though, no more. |
| Shank returns in Shank 2, shanking very likely Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:30 PM PDT Last year's Shank was a gleeful journey of violence and bad-ass-itude, wrapped in wonderful, hand-drawn animation. Realizing that gamers really liked stabbing baddies in the gut, developer Klei Entertainment is gracing us with a second installment, aptly named Shank 2. Let's ignore the unenthusiastic line reading in the trailer and the unnecessary plot details of Shank being forced to protect those dear to him in order to focus on the return of what made the first game great: the old ultra-violence, which seems to be back with a vengeance. Klei claims to have rebuilt everything from the ground up to improve the controls. The developer is also adding a new arcade-style survival co-op mode, which looks more Horde-styled than the usual co-op. Shank 2 is set for an early 2012 release on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and PC. |
| CD Projekt RED reveals what's in store for Witcher 2 v2.0 Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT Get ready you silver-haired monster slayers of Temeria, The Witcher 2 version 2.0 is almost here! In preparation for its release on Thursday, CD Projekt RED has given up the details on all the features that 2.0 will contain. There will be a number of fixes for a wide assortment of issues ranging from hit detection to character lip-syncing. On top of all of these fixes, this also features two new gameplay modes along with a new set of tutorial missions to help get new players started off on the right foot. The tutorial missions will have Geralt assist a wounded knight by the name of Bolton, and will introduce players to combat and alchemy; completion will suggest a suitable difficulty level for the player. The already announced "Dark Mode" and "Arena" will offer a different challenge for veteran Witchers. "Dark Mode" will show players no mercy, in that even the most basic of enemy types will give Geralt a run for his money. In addition, players can also seek out new equipment sets which include the Blasphemer, the Oathbreaker and Kinslayer outfits. While not just keeping Geralt stylish in the latest of Temerian fashion, they can also boost Geralt's Vitality and may just give him the edge he needs to beat back the Dark. "Arena" will allow players to pit their Witcher against a wide variety of opponents in gladiator-style combat. Players can win gold and items, as well as recruit allies for some of the more harrowing challenges this mode has to offer. Leaderboards will also be available for those who wish to compare body counts. The combat improvements will include:
Other fixes will also include:
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| Bethesda details Skyrim's award-winning voice cast Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:30 PM PDT Bethesda has come right out with it and listed some of the vocal talent we'll be hearing in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Christopher Plummer (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), Max Von Sydow (The Exorcist), and Joan Allen (The Contender). The line-up also includes Michael Hogan (Battlestar Galactica), Vladimir Kulich (The 13th Warrior), Claudia Christian (Babylon 5), Diane Louise Salinger (Carnivale), Renee Victor (Weeds), and George Coe (SNL). To keep this spoiler free, I've separated their individual roles out below for the curious. "It's been incredible to have all these actors together," says game director Todd Howard. "When you start a project, you always make your wish-list of actors, and to actually hear them in the game, it’s amazing. We can't wait for everyone to experience it." Neither can we, Todd. Neither can we.
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| TGS: The Vita got about 20% cooler Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT [For last week's Bloggers Wanted, I asked you to tell me your reactions to the announcements made at Tokyo Game Show. Time Glitch is first up for promotion, and he has quite a bit to say about the Vita. If you're interested in seeing your own work on the front page next week, write something about our current topic: Obscurity. -- JRo] It's no secret: anybody that knows me knows that I don't enjoy many Japanese games. Outside of core Nintendo titles, I don't really connect with anime-styled Japanese games like Persona or Dragon Quest. Outside of Pokemon, I can't even stand looking at, let alone playing, most JRPGs. This means that whenever this time of year rolls around, I just tune out the Tokyo Game Show. It tends to be full of the type of games I just loathe...it's my anti-E3. But this year, I was interested. I was excited. I found myself reading through TGS updates rather than simply glossing them over for other gaming news, because this year, TGS had information for the one device I've been holding on a pedestal ever since it was announced. It's something I've talked about a lot on this blog, and is a purchase I never thought I'd make. The Vita. My one and only. At E3 this year, I was absolutely sold on the little wonder device. Almost everything I saw about it made me want it even more. Cross-platform play, 3G online services, full HD graphics, and core game titles that weren't JRPGs? SOLD. A thousand times SOLD. While a lot of my initial sales questions were answered (Like "Can shooters be played on this bite-sized slab of win?"), the little details seemed to be pushed to the wayside in favor of showing us the big features and power of the system itself. That's where TGS came in, because while they didn't "Wow!" me like they did at E3, Sony came out with an very well-rounded info-package to fill in the grain, and gave me all I needed to make a final decision. The biggest announcement for me was the PSP integration. I was one of those people that skipped over a PSP not because I didn't like the games that were being offered, but because the system was just not up to my standards. It was fantastic to hear that Sony is dedicated to providing the Vita with tons of PSP support, especially from the PSN. They even announced that they're looking into some kind of UMD support program, which is great because I'm still a fan of buying my games in physical form. I'm going to really enjoy catching up on some cheap PSP games on my Vita with dual-analog control support. Expectations were exceeded, however, when I read about the Vita's in-house features. While I knew that it would probably ship with stuff like a Web browser and Netflix, I was mildy surprised to learn that it would also come with dedicated apps for Twitter and Facebook. I wasn't exactly impressed though, until I heard that it would come with Skype (Recently purchased by Microsoft, no less!). I use Skype on a daily basis, and this is going to be huge for when I'm not at home or able to use a laptop. On top of this, I found out that there will be multitasking support available, so I'm holding out hope that I can have a Skype call and play some Vita games at the same time! Overall, the infrastructure of the Vita looks to be superb. Building on the already-strong platform of the PSN was a very smart move, and it looks like the Vita will be more than just a handheld, but an extension of the PS3/PSN platform. I think this is what the PSP wanted to be from the beginning, but just couldn't deliver at the time. However, one cannot ignore the single, glaring issue to come out of the Vita at TGS. 'Dem memory stix. I've held the Vita in very high regard so far. It looked like something that had very few flaws, but those flaws were outshined by its many superb features and design decisions. Unfortunately, this is the point where my praise of the Vita takes a pause and my critical nature feels the need to take over. I'll preface all this by saying that this has not changed my mind about purchasing a Vita. I still want one, and I'll still get one. Frankly, the decision to use anything except your standard run-of-the-mill SD cards on the Vita was a horrible PR move, on top of being an absolutely boneheaded business decision. As if they said "We can't stop here!" on the train-route of horrible ideas, they also chose to charge as much as $150 for their largest proprietary memory unit, which clocks in at only 32GB. For a platform that's trying to pride itself on digital distribution, it's very expensive, and it's not a lot of space. In a time when Sony needed to win bonus points with its fans and gamers at large, making the mistakes that they've always made is not a way to do it. As many have pointed out, Sony has a history of pulling this kind of nonsense. They did it way back in the PS1 days with charging as much as $50 for their proprietary memory cards. Sony has a habit of overcharging for some new media format that isn't industry standard, and is only used on one of their products. The UMD drive was the big deal with the PSP, the ATRAC player before it, and I guess the Vita's memory sticks will be the latest enthralling episode of "Sony Acts Like Blockheads". Oh, and did I mention that they probably won't be bundled with one? This little hitch in an otherwise smooth and positive build-up for the Vita is definitely going to cost them some customers. Where at one point we were looking at a reasonable $250 for the cheapest model, we're now looking at something like $400 for a Vita that has reasonable storage space. I know that while I'm going to get a Vita eventually, I don't know if I'll be getting one day-1 now. I'll probably wait for a 3rd party to provide a cheap alternative memory stick, or for Sony to re-design the Vita to work with SD cards. I'm not entirely confident about that second one...I wouldn't bet against Sony letting the Vita rot on shelves when the only thing they need to do is admit they were wrong *shudders*. One also has to wonder what they were thinking from a competitive standpoint. The 3DS is compatible with any standard SD card. If you're looking at it from the point of your average handheld consumer, they now have the choice between a 3DS and 32GB SD card at about $210, or a PS Vita and 32GB memory stick at about $400. That's almost double the price, whereas before the Vita was looking quite competitive in comparison to the 3DS. I guess there's a catch to everything, and there had to be something that I didn't like about the Vita. I find it utterly ridiculous that in this day and age, Sony still feels the need to "set a new standard" when a perfectly good standard already exists. Still, I can't help but love the Vita and I'm still really excited to see what else is coming for it outside of the already announced titles. I'll be looking its way for my very first mobile FPS experience, and maybe even Gran Turismo on the go (something I have literally been waiting for since I was 7 years old). It's still the only handheld I've been truly excited for since I was a kid, and I'm not going to let this debacle ruin my good will for what I believe is an excellent piece of hardware. Long live the Vita! |
| City of Heroes: Freedom is now live for everyone Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT After some time, City of Heroes is finally free-to-play for everyone! First, only subscribers could play with the new content and then old accounts were slowly being reactivated. Starting today, you'll be able to download the client from the official site and begin saving citizens and toppling villains! This new update also comes with a lot of fresh content, including new zones and powers. If you're a Premium or Free member you'll have to shell out ten dollars for locked power sets and unfortunately they're using a "points" system not unlike Microsoft Points so depending on what you plan on buying you may end up with extra points. New players should definitely check out this new user guide designed just for you. It goes over everything from using their launcher to getting your created character into the city. Now that I've jumped back into City of Heroes after being away for years, I can still say that it's the best MMORPG I've ever played, but now you don't have to just take my word for it, go on and download it yourself! |
| Fantastic Arcade: Serious Sam 3 may be the best one yet Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:15 AM PDT [All this week, I'll be bringing game coverage from indie game festival Fantastic Arcade in Austin, TX. Be sure to check Flixist for my coverage of film festival companion Fantastic Fest.] A Serious Sam 3 preview seems largely pointless. Yet, here I am. What a rebel! I will care substantially less about a new Doom after this comes out. Read on to find out why. Serious Sam 3: BFE (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC [Previewed])
In Serious Sam 3, you’ll evade enemies by running down alleyways, taunt them into a closed room and rip their heads off if you are feeling brave. The game is still built upon the repitition of killing hordes of enemies, but there are so many variables that the levels and rebuilt combat system offer this time. As long as you are still up to shooting things in the face, the game will give you enough tools to keep it fun.
You’ll still have your insane 16-player co-op (along with a very rare 4-player split-screen option), point system, and memorable weapons (THE CANON!) On the other hand, you also get new features like destructible environments, sand storms that limit your vision and a terrifying, Tremors-looking Sand Whale that keeps you within the level’s parameters (kind of like the shark in Jak and Daxter). I’m especially fond of the new enemy Scrap Jack that looks a direct throwback to Doom II’s Mancubus with its sagging gut and guns for hands. |
| Europe getting Batman: Arkham City Xbox 360 bundle Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT A listing on Amazon Germany has revealed that a new Xbox 360 bundle containing Rocksteady's upcoming Batman: Arkham City will be making its way to Europe on October 21. The bundle, unlike other more notable ones in the past, will not contain a custom Xbox 360 console with the design and start-up sound related to the game but rather a standard 250 GB Xbox 360 Slim model, one controller, a headset, and of course Arkham City. This is sad because having your Xbox 360 say, "I am the Batman" when pressing the start-up button would be unbelievably awesome. We've contacted Microsoft about the possibility of this bundle making its way to the US, and will update when we get a response. Xbox 360 S 250 GB Batman Arkham City Bundle [Amazon.de] |
| Live show: Ico & Shadow Collection on Mash Tactics Posted: 27 Sep 2011 10:30 AM PDT [Not sure what Mash Tactics is? I've included a clip from the most recent episode to show you just a glimpse of what you've been missing, you daft fool! You can see all of Destructoid's previously aired live shows in our archives.] Today, Mash Tactics is playing The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection, a graphically upscaled release of the original PlayStation 2 games for the PlayStation 3, available in stores now. If these revered classics have slipped past you, here's a chance to get an in-depth look. Mash Tactics airs Monday through Friday at 4pm Pacific. Watch Jon Carnage and Pico Mause let loose with off-the-wall humor and discuss the issues of the day in the live chat on Destructoid's Twitch.tv channel. Also, there are videogames being played. Join us for your chance to win prizes, talk to industry guests, and witness all of the glorious antics. |
| Review: Another World - 20th Anniversary (iOS) Posted: 27 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT Has it really been 20 years since I first played Another World as a mere child, tried to understand what I was supposed to do, failed, and never got beyond the first section? Apparently it has. Eric Chahi's masterpiece was re-released before as Another World - 15th Anniversary Edition, and this iOS version takes the graphical upgrades and adds touch controls, which actually work surprisingly well. Another World - 20th Anniversary (iPhone/iPad) For those who never got the chance to play Another World, the game features a futuristic physicist version of Jordan Devore who ends up trapped in an alien world after a lightning strike causes his experiment to go awry. It was a game that transcended the platforming genre at the time, boasting better animation than the jaw-dropping Prince of Persia that came two years before it, a much better narrative without the need to actually tell the player anything, and a creative method of using a weapon to both shoot enemies and solve puzzles. It was also a balls-hard game with a lot of trial and error, deaths, and sometimes-confusing levels that took forever to figure out if you were younger. Content-wise, not much in Another World - 20th Anniversary has changed from the 15th Anniversary Edition. It looks like the 15th Anniversary Edition, which is to say it looks great on an iOS device with the option to instantly switch between the original and remastered graphics by swiping two fingers down across the screen. Models look better, the resolution has received an upgrade, and most of all, a lot of background art breathes more life into the strange, alien world. The touch controls work really well for the most part. While there is an optional virtual D-pad and shoot button, the control scheme of choice is the newly created "touch" option. This means you tap and hold the left or right sides of the screen to walk in a direction, or double-tap/slide a finger to run in that direction. Sliding a finger downward makes your protagonist Lester crouch, while the bottom corners both act as fire buttons. At no point did I ever encounter an issue with these controls, except for one platforming segment in the Caves section where you have to run from a wall of rushing water. It can take a bit to get used to timing jumps while running, especially when the act of jumping itself requires you to slide a finger upward. It's nothing you can't master, however, and as far as Another World's frustrations go it is a minor annoyance at worst. You see, Another World is an old game, and a really odd one. If you ever finished it, you're not likely to encounter any real problems here other than the occasional death. If you are new to the game, you will die a lot. And I mean a lot. Some sections can be a bit labyrinthine if you don't know what the correct order of progression really is, making you scoff at checkpoints that force you to redo many screens over and over again. That is, until you realize you weren't on the game's "proper" path, try some other approach, and suddenly notice the checkpoints scurrying only a few screens behind you when you mess up once more. It's not always clear where you're supposed to go, which, while frustrating at times, also helps lengthen the game beyond the hour or so it would take to do a single run-through if you knew what to do. Then again, mobile players who are fine with casually making their way through Another World a few screens at a time can easily spend a week or two trying to wrap their head around things. Hand the game to a novice casual player, though, and they'll give up within minutes thanks to its trial-and-error nature. The difficulty of the game does give you that feeling of sheer victory once you do finish it, something that is often absent from most current-gen titles. Normal mode offers a slightly easier challenge than the original game presented, Hard mode is the same as the original, and a new Hardcore mode is even more challenging -- although the difference between the difficulty modes seems to stem from shorter lifetimes of the energy shields you can project to protect yourself. As remakes go, this is a great example of how to offer a classic game to a new audience with improved graphics and sound for a low price. Another World - 20th Annivesary is every bit as hard as it once was, but this iOS version is far from a lazy port. It offers an improved core experience with the option to play the 1991 version, features excellent touch controls, and gives a new breed of gamers the chance to explore why this classic was such a big deal. |
| SI swimsuit models in Need for Speed The Run [trailer] Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:15 AM PDT
[Update: Trailer added. Perverts.] "Dangerous curves," EA says. They're talking about both the courses in Need for Speed The Run and the curves on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2011 models, Irina Shayk and Christine Teigen. Both ladies will appear in Need for Speed The Run, according to an announcement today.
This new trailer on EA's site shows both the ladies in action. You can see all the action when the game drops on November 15. Electronic Arts and Sports Illustrated are also producing a The Making of Need for Speed the Run DVD, featuring these ladies in their game roles. Sports Illustrated subscribers will receive an offer for the Need for Speed The Run value bundle, which will be priced at $49.
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| Talking to Women about Videogames: Sexy vs. sexist? Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT When Tara Long and I first started doing The Destructoid Show almost a year ago, we immediately starting sizing up the competition. During one of these late-night research sessions, I stumbled upon a show that featured oily women in bikinis holding fake guns, robotically and humorlessly reading the videogame news. At the time, their show had about ten times as many views as ours, without any promotion from major outlets like Revision 3 or Destructoid. They also claimed to be "the progressive new voice of female gamers." It was pretty intimidating. Initially, I tried to brush the show off as just more proof that sex sells, and that people will say anything in the pursuit of self-promotion. Upon further examination, I'm not sure if it's quite as simple as that. That's part of why I hit the streets to ask Jane Q. Public about Playboy and Destructoid's recent Nerdcore team-up. In case you couldn't tell, I love Jane Q. Public! She is great. Read on for more thoughts on the psychology of nerdcore, and the potential differences between a sex object and a sexy subject. Nerdcore hasn't been around that long. That's one of the reasons I don't think that "sex sells" is the only reason that nerdcore exists. Sex has sold since the origin of money, and videogames have been around for 40+ years, but stuff like nerdcore just didn't exist when I was growing up. Combining sexual performance and/or pornography with an overt love of videogames is a fairly new thing. When I was a kid, it just didn't occur to people to lick Game Boys. The closest we got to that was the classic sexploitation movie Joysticks, but that was more about horny teens in general and less about people being horny for videogames. I think a big part is that, 20 years ago, we didn't have legions of men who had grown up as gamers. Sure, there were men in the '80s and '90s who had a passion for Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong, but the "gamer" as a pseudo-social class didn't really exist. Now that there is a culture and a stereotype to go along with the idea of "gamer," we naturally have fetishes to go with them -- nerdcore. So why do gamers want to combine sex with gaming? Why is nerdcore a thing, while seeing women pose half-naked with baseballs and/or hubcaps over their private parts has yet to become a pornographic phenomenon? The answer is pretty simple -- a lot of gamers are desperate for women to accept them and their love of gaming. Gaming and other aspects of "nerd culture" are definitely in the process of becoming normalized and accepted by American culture at large, but they still has a long way to go. How recently did Kathie Lee Gifford say that if you're an adult who plays videogames, you're weird? How many weeks ago did "nerd culture" at large lose its shit when a Gawker Media writer made it clear that a man's mastery of Magic: The Gathering was an immediate deal-breaker for her? What I take from this is that gamers (both male and female) are still prone to assuming that they are less likable and less likely to find love because they are gamers. For that reason, the idea of an attractive potential mate who wants to rub videogame consoles and accessories all over her body -- because she presumably loves gaming (and therefore gamers) that much -- strikes a primal urge in some people. Like most pornography, nerdcore is just another primitive tactic to exploit the insecurities and reproductive urges of human beings. Not very honorable stuff. That said, nerdcore isn't all bad, at least in theory. The thing about nerdcore that has me ever so slightly encouraged is that, at its best, it at least tries to add some burlesque sensibilities to the often purely objectifying world of pornography. In burlesque, the performer is there to be related with, even looked up to. Burlesque performers express their sexuality for their own enjoyment, and not necessarily for the enjoyment of the viewer. To be clear, I didn't get much of a burlesque vibe from the Jo Garcia video we posted last week. To me, it came off as shameless pandering, with a touch of self-parody. I expect most men will view her as a sex object to be lusted after in the moment, then forgotten as soon as their erection hits the road. She'll be swept away to the furthest recesses of their brains, along with all the other non-essential information they've come across on the internet. Compare that to a sexually charged but easy-to-identify-with subject like Jessica Chobot. Past the surface-level similarities, the differences as staggering. Ms. Chobot's entire career was launched by that "licks a PSP" moment, proof that for whatever reasons, her take on nerdcore was anything but forgettable. My guess is that that picture resonated with so many gamers because Ms. Chobot really did love the PSP to the point of near-sexual passion. That's something that many gamers related to. Millions of men and women have had true, affectionate, romantic crushes on Ms. Chobot due to that picture, crushes that came from a genuine sense of connection to her. Sure, part of that is just a variation of the old "I want to love someone who is as much like me as possible" narcissism that has been screwing up romantic relationships since the dawn of man. Still, it's better than the whole "women make the sex and babies, men make the money and punch the faces" routine that so often makes the romantic lives of men and women a living hell. Before I forget, everything I'm saying here is applicable to female videogame characters as well. For me, Lollipop Chainsaw's Juliet Starling is like Jessica Chobot -- an attractive woman whom I have absolutely no trouble relating with (as we both seem to love the idea of fending off lustful zombies with chainsaws). On the other hand, characters like Bayonetta (and to a lesser extent, Lara Croft) come off much more like gamer-girl-next-door Playboy Playmates to me -- hilarious self-parodies at best, exhausting exercises in the art of pandering at worst. Of course, that's just me. Everyone's ratios between lust, admiration, and potential for objectification vs. relation are all bound to vary, especially when it comes to our gaze and exactly where it lands on other human beings (fictional or otherwise). I'd like to go on about that, but this sucker is already getting long. Maybe next time. Back to the point, what I'm hoping for is that the gaming industry and gamers themselves come to recognize that all gamers want is to be accepted. You don't need to show a woman in her underwear playing videogames to gain a heterosexual male gamer's affection. Just having a woman who genuinely enjoys gaming will be enough (assuming she is also charming and admirable). Just look at the continued success of Ashly Burch of Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin'? fame. She didn't need to take off her clothes or otherwise pander to the gaming community to gain success. All she needed to do was be a smart, funny, and genuine human being who loves videogames. Sure, she may not have gotten by on those traits alone -- luck, cuteness, and her chemistry with the other cast members of HAWP definitely had something to do with it. Still, I believe that it's Ashly's blatant love of gaming that makes her stand out. In a world filled with wannabe actresses and models who feign interest in gaming just to attract the attention and admiration of an alienated male audience, someone like Ashly (and Tara Long and Hollie Bennett and Pico Mause) is bound to stand out from the crowd. Knowing that, it's especially sad and ironic that I've met many attractive, good-natured women over the years who love videogames, but have made it clear to me that they've been repeatedly shunned by men for that fact. It could be because the men in question hate gaming, that they are threatened by the fact that a woman may be better at something they've defined their "gamer masculinity" around, or because they just can't relate to other people very well. Either way, female gamers often feel feel unaccepted by the opposite sex too. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a female-friendly version of nerdcore pop up sometime soon, though I'm not sure exactly what that would look like. Maybe some of you folks out there in the audience, the ones who find men sexually attractive, could entertain a few guesses for me. Anyway, tl;dr time -- a video about a person pretending to be both horny and a videogame fan at the same time is bound to work to make gamers of both genders feel insulted and exploited in the long run (and maybe aroused, though they may not want to admit it). Gamers don't want to feel exploited; they just want to feel genuinely accepted (sexually and otherwise) by both gamers and non-gamers alike. I'm not so sure that bikini-clad women bouncing on beach balls while playing Dead Rising, a woman faking an orgasm while also faking a game of Pong, and "booth babe" culture in general are helping us to get closer to that feeling. I think we'd be better off focusing less on models trying to sell us on the idea that they're gamers, and focusing more on relating to each other. That said, I don't claim to have all the answers. What do you guys think? Is this nerdcore stuff helpful, harmful, or too stupid to really matter to gaming culture? Past Episodes: Talking to Women about Videogames: 3DS 2nd nub panic Talking to Women about Videogames: Gears 3 isn't perfect? |
| Bethesda v. Mojang 'Scrolls' dispute going to courtroom Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:38 AM PDT When Markus "Notch" Perrson received a notice that Bethesda was bringing legal action against Mojang for infringing on the Maryland company's "The Elder Scrolls" trademark with their forthcoming game "Scrolls," he seemed to meet it with a level of bemusement, hoping that this was the sort of posturing that would just blow over. "Lawyers being lawyers," he called it. Seems like those lawyers are going to get plenty of opportunity to be themselves. Today, a new notification arrived from Swedish officials indicating that the suit will indeed see the inside of a courtroom. Bethesda has filed evidence with the court, including user comments and screenshots of the Scrolls game taken from trailers to show how consumers may confuse Skyrim with Scrolls. For Mojang's part, they seem dedicated to winning the dispute. Their business developer Daniel Kaplan told Gamasutra that they intend to fight, noting that he, "really [hates] it how the big boys always get their own way." Cheers to that. Nevertheless, it raises an interesting question. Obviously, as gamers, we're all well aware of the difference between the two products and can laugh this off. But perhaps Bethesda feels they really can't. Their titles reach a significantly broader audience beyond the dedicated games consumer and there is a risk that grandma might pick the wrong game off the shelf. Then there are the trademark concerns. As a trademark holder, you're under an obligation to defend that trademark whenever there's even a hint of infringement. Failing to do so could eventually result in losing control over the trademark as exceptions pile up and build a precedent of inaction in the legal system's eyes. So, is it really a silly case? Yes and no. Personally, I believe that Bethesda is really reaching on this one. We're talking about a single word here, one which has been in use for over a thousand years, and only a portion of their trademark. Winning the case against Mojang could force them to change the name of their game but, to me, would represent a gross interpretation of the trademark. But it's also a case they almost have to take to court lest they risk losing another suit down the line and it's their responsibility to take this course of action for the benefit of their shareholders. Business is an ugly thing sometimes. Mojang: 'Really Silly' Bethesda Scrolls Case Heads To Court [Gamasutra via Escapist] |
| My corgi has been Simified! The Sims 3 Pets is coming Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:30 AM PDT [Update: I'm told that the Corgi breed will be in the final game!] To help promote the new Create-a-Pet tool for the The Sims 3 Pets, my very own Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Einstein, was Simified! They took pictures of my beloved real-life pet and made a Sim version. I love it! His Sim version looks as derpy as he does in real life. What do you think? Compare him with his real images in the gallery below. Corgis aren't a breed in the Create-a-Pet tool for Sims 3 Pets, but there are plenty of other breeds you can try to create yourself with this free downloadable tool. The full game, The Sims 3 Pets, comes out October 18 for PC, PS3, 360 and 3DS. It's not just dogs, either. Cats, birds, lizards...even horses. I'm working on a review of this game, so stay tuned. |
| Sparks and flashes: New screens from Persona 4 fighter Posted: 27 Sep 2011 06:45 AM PDT Persona 4 The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena is one heck of a good looking fighter. These new screens from Japan show several of the cast members (no one ones yet) in battle, and you'll get plenty of sparks, light flashes and other blue/yellow particle effects in them. Hell, one of the screenshots shows nothing but sparks and flashes and sparkles and such. The one included character select screen shows a bunch of blanked out cards. That bastard Igor looks on from a distance with a smirk on his face, as if to say that he knows exactly what characters are in store for us. Big-nosed bastard. |
| Presentation remote maker sues Nintendo over Wii remote Posted: 27 Sep 2011 06:15 AM PDT Cute. UltimatePointer, maker of the Upoint laser-pointer presentation remote, is suing Nintendo and other retailers for the sale of the Nintendo Wii Remote. They claim that Nintendo has infringed on their patent, their "Easily Deployable Interactive Direct-Pointing System and Presentation Control System and Calibration Method," and that retailers like Best Buy and GameStop have also infringed by selling the device. What's funny is that the Upoint is not even available for sale now. What's funnier is that this Upoint has nothing to do with games. It's a laser pointer mouse! Gamasutra says that UltimatePointer is looking to receive damages due to the alleged infringement, along with costs of court and an award of attorney fees. Hmmph. Patent trolls. |
| I gotta believe! PaRappa could return on the Vita Posted: 27 Sep 2011 05:45 AM PDT Here's how much I love the PaRappa the Rapper franchise: When I see a used copy of any of the series games in a store, I rage. I play Unjammer Lammy on almost every flight I take, and I fly about 100,000 miles a year, so that's a lot. I play PaRappa the Rapper 2 at least once a month, every month. I sing the NanaOn-Sha jingle to myself at random during the day. I don't just like this franchise. No, I live for games like this. I live for the day that NanaOh-Sha makes another. I've found new hope in the recent statements from series creator Masaya Matsuura. He told Joystiq that newer business models and/or systems like the PS Vita could bring our favorite rapping dog back. Matsuura says that he likes consoles like the Vita for his rhythm games, as their built-in screens reduce input latency. So the PlayStation Vita represents a "good chance" for him NanaOn-Sha to move forward with a sequel. NanaOn-Sha director of development Dewi Tanner explained that the business has changed since the first games were released, and now it might be hard to get gamers "to pay $50 for something with 5, 6 stages." Newer forms of distribution could help, though. "We feel now that there's so many different ways of purchasing games and evaluating games that maybe there'll be one that matches Parappa well," Tanner said. |
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